Christopher Hitchens Battles Joan Walsh Over Obama's Foreign Policy Team On Hardball (VIDEO)

President-elect Barack Obama announced his national security team today, and the confirmation of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, and Eric Holder as Attorney General made for spirited debate on tonight's edition of Hardball. Slate's Christopher Hitchens and Salon's Joan Walsh battled over the wisdom of Obama's choices, a debate which grew heated and personal.

[WATCH]

Comments

[militarymomforobama]

These two need to get a room!

Seriously, I understand and agree with Hitchens on the point made about HRC only looking out for herself and WJC, but I also see that BHO is a BRILLIANT strategist and a LEADER. I have every reason to think that the choice was a pragmatic one, and that when all is said and done, HRC will be a great SOS who will carry out the agreed upon policy. BHO is no GWB--he is nobody's puppet.

[NoNBAF]

Hitchens always appears a bit constipated to me when he is trying to make a point. It's as if he has to squeeze out his condescending words.

[imsosure]

She kicked his butt, time to go home Hitch

[jrdenn]

Hillary Clinton lacks the experience to be SoS says the guy who voted for Barack Obama who has 4 years in the Senate thus being adequate to become POTUS.

[ObamaEdwards]

blah blah blah blah

How about if we wait until the team actually DOES something? Then we can comment on an actual occurrence. I am so sick of this generation of "news" that blathers opinions and predictions and gossip. Go get a real story--you know, something actually HAPPENING. And then talk about all the details of what HAPPENED.

[slemay]

But how would they fill all that empty time? But how would they fill all that empty time?
But how would they fill all that empty time? But how would they fill all that empty time?
But how would they fill all that empty time? But how would they fill all that empty time?
But how would they fill all that empty time? But how would they fill all that empty time?
But how would they fill all that empty time? But how would they fill all that empty time?

You got the idea. If they had to report news--stuff they had to dig for--they'd have nothing to say.

[Paxhope]

Hitchens comes off as a nattering nabob of negativity - using his intellect and wit in the service of something other than civil discourse for the common good. Maybe he recognizes a self-centered streak in Hillary because he has one too. I was going to read Hitchen's book, "God is Not Great" because, as a believer, I know it's important to be challenged and humble. This dialogue makes me not so sure. Will his reasoning be in the humble service of truth? I too, am not a great fan of Hillary, however I have great trust in Obama's judgment of what's needed right now for America.

[slemay]

Hitchens is bright, but he bloviates. He never uses a ten cent word when he's got a twenty dollar word handy. Just get one of his books from the library. He seems always to say the same thing, so you'll save money and still get the idea.

'Humility' may be in his vocabulary, but it is not in his personality--or his soul.

[jorge999]

Well said Paxhope! I concur with everything you said.
Hitchens is certainly brilliant, but he comes across as an unhappy, angry man looking for opportunities to disgorge his endless supply of venom.
Hitch would be enfuriated to hear this of course, but i can't help thinking that his anger and venom are the products of a profound spiritual emptiness.
Come to think of it, I feel sorry for him.

[Clavis]

He may have had good points to make, but she was right to chastise him later in the conversation for calling her "Miss Walsh" and talking down to her as if they weren't people who'd had drinks together in the past. Hitchens, whether he realizes it or not, can overdo his zealotry. I'm as big a fan of robust discussion and disagreement as anyone, but Hitchens has to realize the damage he's doing when he comes across like this...

[PJay1]

I agree 100% with Hitchins in this case, right down to that Susan Rice should have been the pick. That's who I was hoping for. She's extremely intelligent and well versed in world affairs and yes, sans baggage.

Well, 'Ms. Walsch' (is that 'condescending'?), thanks for telling me that I belong to an 'eccentric small group of haters' who are 'not important'.
Judging from the many comments here and elsewhere, as well as conversations and opinions by some VERY smart people, I don't think this group is all that small, Ms. Walsh. In fact, it's huge and we're not 'haters'. I liked and always defended the Clintons ---- until the primaries when I saw their true colors (no pun intended).

And let's not forget that Joan Walsh was one of those Clinton loyalists who, by her own admission, found it hard to support Obama. A PUMA of sorts.

Christopher Hitchins has this one exactly right.

[jrdenn]

Bill was elected twice. Only Dem with that honor since FDR did it. And then there's 18 million votes for Hillary
- Joan is right, the Clinton haters are an eccentric minority.

[PJay1]

And I voted for him twice. That hardly makes me a "hater".

To repeat what I said, I used to like the Clintons very much. My opinion of them changed based on their own words, actions and lack thereof during the primaries. I'm entitled to have an opinion based on my observations and perceptions without being stereotyped or dismissed as part of a small unimportant eccentric minority. That says more about the Joan Walshes of the world than it does about those of us who agree with Christopher Hitchins.

If I'm not happy with Hillary as Sos, that does not make me part of an 'eccentric minority'.
As I said in my last comment, there are MANY of us who don't like this choice and that's our prerogative. In a so called *democracy*, having an opinion that's different from yours or Joan Walsh's doesn't automatically turn someone into a "hater".
It simply means we have a different opinion. Period.

[jillsond]

You're right , to a certain extent.

I think the Clintons were trying to appeal to the smear campaigning, which lost Hillary the election,and which Obama did not entertain during his campaign.

But O is not stupid enough to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The Cintons are still brilliant. And Hillary will change her tactics while campaigning for the presidency in 2016.

[SACVET]

The Christopher Hitchens and Joan Walsh dialogue on Chris Matthew's "Hardball"
was what we need more of in corporate media. Ms. Walsh designated Christopher
Hitchens as a "Clinton Hater." Her calling him "eccentric" was too easy a way to
dismiss his opinions. As a drug addict needs cocaine so the Clintons thrive and get
incredibly wealthy as a consequence of their addiction for influence and power.
Making that observation doesn't make me eccentric Ms. Walsh. The Clintons are as
dynasty minded as the Bush family. Why can't the corporate media present some
intelligent new people (I said intelligent, so I don't have Sarah Palin in mind) to the
public - people who won't feel beholden to the political opportunists who have made
a shambles of our national reputation abroad. Is it eccentric on my part to remind
folks that Hillary voted to support the criminal actions initiated by Bush and Cheney
against Iraq or to remind voters that Obama said getting out of Iraq wil be a priority?

[Paxhope]

It's not - but it should be. Very few in congress were NOT taken in by the administrations lies.

[jorge999]

'...Why can't the corporate media present some intelligent new people..."
This is long overdue. Frankly, I am so -o-o-o-o sick and tired of the likes of Joe Scarborough, Pat Buchanan, Joe Lieberman, et al. Hitchens is more interesting than them at least.
As far as Joan Walsh is concerned, a little bit of her goes a long way.
(truth be told I'm still annoyed with her for being such a zealous hillbot during the primaries )

[ArkieInCT]

" Is it eccentric on my part to remind folks that Hillary voted to support the [Iraq War resolution] ..."

Did you hate on John Kerry so severely four years ago, or did you enthusiastically back him over Bush? Do you remind folks that Barack himself, in support of John Kerry four years ago during the "I supported the $87 billion before I opposed it" flap, said that he wasn't sure how he would have voted, himself, had he actually BEEN in the US Senate in October 2002?

IOW, why the big hard-on for Hillary? Why the need to dwell on ill-feelings for her? Is it that you've got a problem with strong, powerful women? Does that threaten you?

I daresay she did a helluva lot more to get Barack Obama elected president than did you. Did you appear before a sum total of a million people over the course of two months and change campaiging for Barack and other Dems all across the country? Hillary did. Try reminding folks of that, starting with yourself.

[funkalicious]

I tend to agree with Hitchen's too.. Bill Clinton will act as President Unelected P.U. and stink up the joint the guy loves money and will play anyone for a buck. Hitchen's hit the nail on the head one year and out.

Bill Clinton has never been a dog you can chain to the porch.. he's the problem if P.O. wants to run the show and it will be a dramatic show down between competing egos. Will Hillary once again be humiliated by her husbands unsavory behavior due to his egomaniac nature?

[gladys46]

I hope for the best .... but I agree with Hitchens! I take solice in the fact that SHE is not the boss ! I also take solice in the fact that SHE nor her hubby are mere thorns in P.E.Obama's side (perhaps) .. they are America's thorns ... home grown !!

It's just me, I just don't like her !

[tedmore123]

I once watched Christopher Hitchens argue with himself...he lost.

[LeeCalif]

I'm a progressive.

I agree Clinton should not have been made sec of state. I've also said she has no experience.
I do not know what Obama's motive to do this was. I can theorize, to get Bill's experience or to show a familiar face to the world or to send the republicans a message of continued conservatism in foreign policy ...

[mredder4]

Yet you voted for a 4-year Senator for President? Based on that, your 'experience' argument falls flat. Clinton was a Senator longer than Obama, and you want to claim she has no experience?

Weak, weak argument.

[jamilk99]

Obama was a state senator for 8 years prior to being elected to the US Senate for four. Therefore, he had 12 years of total experience in elected office.

Hillary's entire resume until 2000 consists of being first lady of Arkansas and first lady of the US - ceremonial, unelected positions. Then she uses her last name to run for Senate in the most liberal state in the country against one a very weak Republican - Rick Lazzio.

Bottom line - Obama was right about her not doing much more than sipping tea and drinking cookies; she didn't dodge sniper fire; there is no foreign policy experience in her resume. She said Obama's only experience was giving a speech against the Iraq war but then when asked to name any foriegn policy experience she has, she cited giving a speech in China about women's rights.

Obama's campaign slogan should have been "Return to the '90s" because this is definitely not "Change We Can Believe In!" Foreign policy was the one area where the 2 of them disagreed most - she called him naive and inexperienced for wanting to negotiate with Iran and said as president, she would "obliterate" Iran (if it attacked Israel) - so as his Sec of State, will she be "naive" enough to pursue diplomacy or will she show us how tough she is and threaten to "obliterate" Iran? Or will Obama agree with her dismissal of diplomacy and abandon that pledge he made to us during

[elimenez]

Let's also remember, Clinton's aides announced she had been offered the Sec. of State position before she actually was. This woman made a power play for that seat, and it only continues to show her feeling of self entitlement. She is a terrible choice. When Rush Limbaugh supports her choice we know we are in trouble.

[jorge999]

"...Let's also remember, Clinton's aides announced she had been offered the Sec. of State position before she actually was..."
Their conduit was Andrea Mitchell (who once again was a tool for Hillary)

[liberalsrheros]

the source for that nugget was un name. fiction. mitchell broke the story they met. you assign to hillary what the press announces without citing sources.

that makes you a tool of the sloppy press, msm, congratulations.

[ArkieInCT]

"Let's also remember, Clinton's aides announced she had been offered the Sec. of State position before she actually was."

Of course! And the Obama Transition people leaked NOT A WORD to the press. Do you really think the leaking was a one way street, with the evil Clinton team scurrilously leaking to the press as the Transition said not a peep? Are you that naive?

[ohiodem250]

I love Hitchens. I think alot of his opinions are trash but I love his personality.

It's like two of my close personal friends - one of them agrees with me on almost everything, so we smoke blunts together; the other one I disagree with on a lot but we have great debates, so I drink beers with him and talk politics. Hitchens is like my second friend.